英语和汉语一样都有成语，都译成idiom，每个单词你都认识，但是合到一起的意思你不一定知道在讲什么。
除了用法、寓意，有的短语和谚语适合书面说法，有的只在口语中使用，有的涉及比喻，有的源自故事，有的是名人名言，有的英国人说，美国人不说，还有的不同的国家有不同的说法……
所以学短语和谚语是一件很有趣的事。希望你读我的系列文章不仅能够记住这些英文短语和谚语，而且能够从相关的故事中体会到异国文化，一些书本上没有，生活里必知的知识。
Cock这个词，虽然也翻译成公鸡，但是充满讽刺。成语只用于英语，多指骄傲自满，目中无人的男性。美语里很少用关于cock的成语，而是用这个词指男性性器官。
1.
Cock and bull story
= an absurd and improbable story, used as an excuse or explanation无稽之谈，胡说八道
例子：When I questioned Wendy about her recent tardiness, she gave me some cock-and-bull story about how her train took the wrong track and she had to hitchhike to work from the station across town.
这个成语有故事，但跟动物无关。(1650-1830）很久以前，当人们还赶着马车旅行的时候，在伦敦通往英国北部的路上Buckinghamshire有一个小镇叫Stony Stratford。小镇上有两家旅馆，一家叫Cock一家叫Bull。两家旅馆离得很近。很多人旅行的时候都会下榻在两家旅馆。喝点儿酒跟当地人聊聊路上的见闻，而当地人也很喜欢听来自伦敦的故事，但是两家店以讹传讹，故事变得越来越夸张，越来越让人难以置信。由此得来这个成语。
2
to live like fighting cocks
= to enjoy the best possible food过着奢侈的生活,花天酒地。
Cock fight就是斗鸡，这种鸡为了比赛，都吃得很好，所以得此比喻。
例子：
A: "Did Tom and Stephanie really buy a mansion?"
B: "Yes, and they've been living like fighting cocks ever since Tom inherited all that money."
3
Cock of the roost/walk
小天地里称王称霸的人,自以为很了不起, 很重要。一般指男人
例子：
He struts around campus like he's the cock of the roost, all because his dad is some politician.有点儿“我爸是李刚”的感觉。
He acts like the cock of the walk around the office.
4
cock a snook at someone
=to show or express defiance or scorn at someone. 目中无人／视而不见／鄙视、不尊重别人
Snook这里指传统的蔑视手势，即将拇指放在鼻子下并摇摆手指。与thumb one's nose同义。
例子：
He cocked a snook at the traffic cop and tore up the ticket.
The boy cocked a snook at the park attendant and walked on the grass.
5
be cocksure of (oneself)
过于自信=To be completely certain of oneself or one's actions, to the point of overconfidence.
例子： You seem pretty cocksure of yourself—do you really know how to handle that machine?
cock in the hen house 参考《趣味英文成语（四）关于 hen》
6
go off half-cocked
Fig. to go into action too early or without thinking. (Originally refers to a flintlock or matchlock gun firing prematurely, before the trigger was pulled.) 还没准备好就开枪了，比喻仓促行事／做事考虑不周全／做事情不计后果
Half-cocked还没准备好
例子：
Don't go off half-cocked. Plan out what you're going to do.
Bill went off half-cocked and told everybody he was running for the state legislature.
7
knock something into a cocked hat
Fig. to demolish a plan, a story, etc.
cocked hat是一种帽子的形状，这里比喻破坏了原定的计划。
例子：
I knocked his plans into a cocked hat.
This bad weather has knocked everything into a cocked hat.
8
Cock up
=raise 这个不是成语，而是一种比喻的短语，形容什么东西“立起来了”
例子：The dog pricked up his ears
What a cock-up? 太糟糕了
9
Cock-up theory
我理解的是能说到但做不到的理论，常用来指政府的言论：它是一种用于政治科学和历史的理论。据说，理论表达了对智力和个人豪言壮语的共同怀疑，在大多数伟人有一个更加正常的结合懒惰和无能的观点。=It is a theory used in political science and history. It is stated that the theory expresses a common scepticism towards both intellectual and personal pretension, and the view that behind most great men there is a far more normal mixture of idleness and incompetence.
例子：Many journalists have fallen for the conspiracy theory of government. I do assure you that they would produce more accurate work if they adhered to the cock-up theory.
10
cocky as the king of spades
吹牛;过分自豪=boastful; overly proud. (*Also: as ~.)
The King of spades (TKOS)黑桃王是生命卡牌中的三个不可移动的固定卡牌之一，它们位于圣灵和生命的皇冠线上。它是最强大的一张牌。
例子：
He'd challenge anyone to a fight. He's as cocky as the king of spades.
She strutted in, cocky as the king of spades.
PS:这四个国王是基于真正的统治者：The king of diamonds 代表着富有的朱利叶斯·凯撒; The king of clubs是残酷的亚历山大大帝;The king of spades代表以色列坚强但仁慈的大卫;The king of hearts代表情感上打扰法国的查理七世。
11.
Cock one's head to the side
指一种姿势
12
cock one's eyebrow
本文为原创文章，未经作者许可，不得转载，谢谢！
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